Renowned Ghanaian rapper Kwesi Arthur has publicly accused executives of his former record label, Ground Up Chale, of harassment, ownership over his image and music, and attempts to block his independent releases.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, January 21, the multiple award-winning artiste alleged that the label is demanding $150,000 from him for using images of himself in a current project.
In the post, Kwesi Arthur specifically named Glen Boateng and other members of the Ground Up Chale team, stating that they should be “held responsible” if any harm comes to him.
He claimed the label asserts ownership over “my image, my music and everything attached to it from 2016 to this day,” despite what he says has been no working relationship since the release of his Son of Jacob project.
According to the rapper, he has not earned any income from his music during the years he was affiliated with the label and has been subjected to “constant threats and manipulation.”
He further alleged that Boateng is deliberately working to prevent him from releasing music independently, warning fans that any takedown of his current project should be attributed to the Ground Up executive.
Kwesi Arthur said his decision to go public was driven by concerns for his safety and that of his family, adding that the prolonged dispute has taken a serious toll on his mental health. “I’ve tried to not say anything for a long time,” he wrote, “though this has affected my wellbeing and mental health greatly.”
The rapper, who rose to prominence under Ground Up Chale and became one of Ghana’s most influential hip-hop voices, did not provide documents to support his claims in the post. As of the time of publication, Ground Up Chale and Glen Boateng have not publicly responded to the allegations.
